


We're so Down

by Emmybazy



Series: Commuter Cake [7]
Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band)
Genre: Commuter Fic, It's the end of the series, M/M, commuter cake is done, itty bitty fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-11
Updated: 2014-11-11
Packaged: 2018-02-25 00:58:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2602676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emmybazy/pseuds/Emmybazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just when Luke thought his life couldn't get any better. </p>
<p>Or; Calum and Luke take the subway to work now, but one day they won't.</p>
            </blockquote>





	We're so Down

**Author's Note:**

> It is the end! This is done. Nothing anyone says can convince me to reopen this verse. It is done. 
> 
> All the same, thanks to all the people who encouraged me to turn it into a series after that first little itty bitty fic. I enjoyed writing cute little cake rather than super serious cake. 
> 
> Watch out for this one. I think I went a little bit overboard on fluff...
> 
> I continually don't own anyone or anything.

Luke throws his bag over his shoulder as he walks out of his apartment. Today is great. It’s a great day. The air is chilly but the wind is low. He’s wearing his favorite sweater. His soul mate kissed him yesterday.

As Luke bops down the stairs, light on his feet and grin on his face, he thinks about yesterday night. It had been a scene out of a movie. There is no way Calum and he aren’t soul mates at this point. Even if soul mates don’t exist and Luke's wrong, this still feels big. Luke can’t explain the energy running through his bones with anything but a name: Calum.

Luke stuffs his hands in his pockets. He doesn’t know what he’s going to say to Calum today. He’s slightly afraid that words are going to pour out about how amazing Luke thinks Calum is, even though they’ve only known each other a few days. Calum makes Luke feel good, like the day isn’t as dreary and monotonous as it once was.

Luke walks the three blocks to the train stop. When he turns the corner onto the street where the stop is, the air around Luke starts to vibrate. Standing there, leaning against the train stop awning, is a figure in a leather jacket. Luke picks up the pace the slightest hint on his way to Calum.

Calum looks up when Luke’s twenty odd feet away. He grins at Luke, no teeth, just his plush lips turned up at the corners and his eyes catching the sunlight. His backpack is slung over his shoulder and he’s got a cup of coffee in one hand and his phone in the other.

“Hi,” Luke says as he comes up to stand next to Calum.

“Morning,” Calum stands up straight and holds his phone out to Luke, “Before I forget, give me your number.”

Luke clasps his hands on top of each other around the strap of his leather messenger bag, “Maybe I don’t want you to have my number.”

Calum keeps the phone extended and shakes his head, his lips pursing at the ends to hold in the laughter, “Don’t want me to know your number or where you live, I get the hint.” As Calum pulls the phone back to put in his jacket pocket, Luke nabs it from between Calum’s fingers.

Luke can feel Calum grinning at him as he types his number into the little screen. Luke says, “In case you ever need an umbrella again,” before sending himself a message and saving his name as Commuter Luke <3.

“I’ll remember that,” Calum says. Luke feels his exhale hit his cheek and realizes Calum has stepped forward to peer over the phone. When Luke looks up, they’re close together and Luke’s whole body sighs in happiness. Luke slips the phone into Calum’s jacket pocket.

“Thanks,” Calum whispers between them. He makes eye contact with Luke and asks, “How was your night?”

“Good,” Luke says, arms drawing behind his back to stick in the back pocket of his trousers. He doesn’t know why he says it, but he follows with, “Lonely.”

Calum chuckles, “That’s what you get for living by yourself.”

Luke shrugs, biting his lip around his piercing, “You should come by sometime. So I’m less lonely.”

Calum grins at that, “I think you’ve got to take me on date first...” he trails off, eyebrows furrowing together, “what’s your last name?”

Luke laughs, “Hemmings.”

“Hemmings,” Calum grins, switching his coffee cup to the other hand so his right is free to shake, “Calum Hood.”

Luke feels lucky to be here, on this gorgeous morning with this beautiful person. He grabs Calum’s hand and pumps it a few times, “Good to meet you.”

The apple’s of Calum’s cheeks stick out as he smiles and says, “Yeah.”

A sudden whisper of wind jolts Luke back into reality, “We should probably go down.” He nods his head towards the doors into the station. Calum nods and walks over to hold the door open for Luke. Luke’s never been much of a blusher, but he’s starting to think maybe he just hadn’t met the right people to make him blush.

“How was your night?” Luke calls over his shoulder as they descend.

“Good. My room mates and I played Fifa and ordered a pizza,” Calum says, “They’re terrible to play with. My one room mate, Mikey, he’s better at other games and Ashton doesn’t like to play that much.”

Luke hits the bottom step and waits for Calum to catch up, “Well, I’m excellent at Fifa.”

Calum grins. They’re blocking the bottom of the stairwell. “You’ll have to come and play with me sometime then.”

“You’ve got to take me on a date first,” Luke says, turning to swipe his fare. He hears Calum laughing behind him. As he walks through, Calum runs up behind him to get through on the one swipe, “Hey!”

“I’ll get you next time,” Calum says, still close, right over Luke’s shoulder. It feels like they’ve fallen into this too easy, these easy jokes and casual bumps. Luke doesn’t mind.

“Shit!” Calum says. Luke looks up to see their train pulling away, “I’m going to be so late.”

Luke shrugs, “They’ll have another train in a few minutes.”

“I’m normally late anyways.”

Luke shakes his head, “Irresponsible.”

Calum gently bumps Luke’s shoulder with his own.

They walk over to the pole Calum normally leans against, Calum tossing his empty cup on the way. Luke’s never missed this train, so it’s odd seeing the station only a few minutes later. There’s no one here. A few people are coming down from the stairwell, but otherwise it’s pretty empty. Luke likes it, he can hear his and Calum’s voices bouncing back to them against the tile walls.

“I don’t think I’ve ever asked you what you do,” Calum states, eyebrows furrowed again. Luke’s mystified by it to, how little they know about each other. They’ve shared one of the sweetest and romantic moments Luke has ever felt and Calum doesn’t know what he does.

“Guess,” Luke says.

Calum grins, “If I had to guess,” Calum leans closer to Luke, “I always thought you were some type of model.” Luke can’t keep his loud burst of laughter in as Calum continues, “You walk around the streets and advertise for clothing companies.”

Luke shakes his head, trying to kill the laughter in his throat, “Definitely not. I’m much less glamorous than that.”

“A rockstar then?” This causes Luke to laugh again.

“Where are you getting these ideas?” Luke asks, bemused.

Calum reaches up to touch Luke’s lip ring, “This throws me off. I don’t know many bosses who allow this.”

Luke’s breath catches in his chest when the pad of Calum’s finger hits the loop. He straightens out his face to answer, “Yeah. My boss only lets me keep it in because I’m out of sight from the clientele.”

Calum raises his eyebrows, “Is that a hint?”

Luke grins and shrugs. The familiar woosh of a train pulling up startles them. The doors open on the mostly empty train and Calum grabs Luke’s hand to drag him on. They take two seats in the back corner of the train, plopping down between a woman wearing a business suit and a railway.

Calum turns towards Luke, so he’s looking him in the eye when he says, “Tell me.”

Luke turns his upper body too, leaning back against the railing, “I work in a company mail room. Like I said, not glamourous.”

“How long have you been doing it?” Calum asks, genuine interest on his face.

“Right out of high school,” Luke’s unsure how much he should share. He decides to continue, “My dad is a corporate lawyer and got me the job. When I told him I didn’t want to go to college right out of high school, he said I had to do something,” Luke shrugs, “It’s been three years and I still don’t know what I would study if I went back to school,” Calum nods a long as Luke speaks, “So for now, I sort mail. It’s not the worst job ever.”

Calum nods. He puts his arm up around the top of the seat so it rest right near where Luke’s shoulder is, almost touching, “You never knew what you wanted to do?”

Luke thinks about that. Did he know? “Well, I was always pushed toward law, all lawyers kids are but...I had a change of heart last minute and couldn’t do it.”

Calum looks solemn for a moment before saying, “I could never do that.”

“Law?”

“Work a job I didn’t love,” he says it with something determined lurking in the corners of his eyes. Luke wants to touch his cheek. He doesn’t.

“You love your jobs then?” Luke asks with a grin.

Calum smiles back, “You caught me. But I won’t always work in a bar. I have this plan-”

The screech of the train turning into Luke’s station cuts him off.

Luke looks at Calum, mouth hung mid sentence. His mouth turns up into a small smile, “Your stop.” Luke wants nothing more than to stay on this train all day and listen to Calum’s plans. Maybe see if there is a spot for him somewhere amongst the dreams.

Luke stands up slowly, turning to look at Calum, “You should text me later.”

Calum nods, “I can do that,” he looks out the windows as the train starts to slow down, “See you tomorrow Luke.”

“Bye Cal.” Luke turns and walks the few steps to the door, trying not to fall over as the train comes to a stop. He stands in front of the door, looking out. He’ll have more opportunities to see Calum. Just because this feels like a break, that this moment is important and shouldn’t be interrupted, that doesn’t mean they won’t get another chance to have other moments like this...

The doors don’t open.

It’s when Luke’s been standing there for thirty seconds longer than he should’ve, waiting for the doors to slide open, a speaker crackles to life at the corner of the train, “We apologize for the inconvenience, but there is a problem with the doors on the train. We will have you out and to your destinations as quickly as possible. Do not panic, you are not in danger. Thank you for your patience.”

Luke stares out the door for another few seconds before turning back to look at Calum. Calum’s sitting, arm still over the back of the seat, wide smile directed at Luke. Luke mirrors the look and walks over to stand in front of Calum.

“Don’t you hate it when that happens?” Luke asks, looking at the floor, mostly. He can’t help but sneak a few glances at Calum.

“When the train breaks down?” Calum asks with a laugh.

“No, when you say good bye and then don’t actually leave the other person,” Luke makes eye contact with Calum and it feels great. Today is a great day. Calum taps the seat next to him, asking Luke to join him again.

Luke plops down into the seat. Rather than leaning back against the railing, this time he leans into Calum, resting his cheek against Calum’s out stretched arm. He doesn’t know where he got the confidence to do so, or whether it’s even a good idea or not, but the doors didn’t open. That’s got to be a sign. Calum’s got to be his soul mate. Luke is excellent at listening to the universe.

Luke feels like he’s being rewarded for being risky when Calum grins and wraps his hand around Luke’s bicep. Luke could get used to this, “You were telling me about your plans?”

“Yeah,” Calum leans his head down closer to Luke’s, “So there’s this music shop...” Luke watches as Calum tells the story. That look of determination is back on Calum’s face, along with a brightness that Luke feels drawn too. Luke snuggles into Calum’s embrace for a good story. He’s never been more thankful that he doesn’t own a car in his life.

 

********

 

The bell over the door rings as someone walks into the store. Calum already knows who it is, the door had been locked and only one person besides him has the key. To confirm who it is, Calum looks up to see Luke walking through the rows of guitars to the register, right near the front window.

“How can I help you today, sir?” Calum leans back against the back counter with all the specialty reeds and valves. Luke approaches the register and the glass windowed show case in between them.

“Thinking it’s maybe time for a new guitar,” Luke says, smirking at Calum.

“We’ve got a wide selection,” Calum’s been working on his phrasing. He took a marketing class a few years back that taught him about word choice and how it affects consumer perception. So they don’t have a lot of guitars, they have a wide selection.

“I’ll have to look,” Luke says, leaning forward to prop his hip up against the glass case, arms crossed in front of him, “Do I get a discount?”

Calum shakes his head slightly, trying to hold in a wide smile, “We don’t give discounts for being cute.”

That makes Luke turn his face away, pleased grin too apparent on his face. He slides a hand through his hair before turning back, “Well, I’m the owner’s boyfriend. I’m sure that gets me a discount.”

Calum leans forward against the glass counter so that he’s looking up at Luke from where he’s leaning down onto his elbows, “Nope.”

“I’ll have to talk to him about that,” Luke’s eyes are so blue in the early morning light streaming in through the window. Luke is like morning, all bright eyes and crisp laughs. Calum pokes him in the mornings to make him giggle against his pillow. They never want to get out of bed, always lingering a few minutes past when would be appropriate.

“Or,” Calum starts, “there are other things you can do.”

Luke flicks his eyes down to meet Calum’s, “Yeah?”

Calum reaches up to wind his fingers into the hair at the back of Luke’s head, “Yeah.”

Luke’s leaning back into his hand, eyes closed as Calum rubs the back of his skull, “Like what?”

Calum stands up so his lips are next to Luke’s ear, “Come behind the counter and we’ll talk.” Calum plants a kiss the side of Luke’s face, right next to his incredible left cheek bone. Calum can’t get over how beautiful Luke is. It’s been almost two years and Luke’s still, if not more, striking then he was when they met.

Luke hums and pulls away from Calum’s hand, walking to the little door that is hooked to the side of the glass cabinet. Calum follows so he’s standing right there when Luke walks through.

They pause a moment when Luke takes the step into the small spaces. There’s only a few inches of space between them, their noses almost touching as the town wakes up outside. Calum can hear the cars pass and a woman on a phone call outside the shop window. Calum tilts his head to kiss Luke.

Calum feels like this a moment he’ll remember; Luke’s hands sliding up under his shirt to hold his waist steady, his own arms finding Luke’s face and neck to press against. All the instruments in the shop his, the floor is his, the clock above the door that chimes a different instrument at the beginning of ever hour, all of it. It’s officially his. Even Luke is a little bit his, in the way Luke’s face looks like he’s coming home every time Calum puts a hand on the small of Luke’s back.

Luke pulls back with his lips but keep his hands firmly on the curves of Calum’s sides, the perfect spot for his mammoth hands, “You could’ve woken me up before you left.”

Calum slides his hands down so they rest gently against Luke’s ribcage, “It was early. Last time I woke you up early on your day off, you were grumpy all day.”

Luke furrows his eyebrows, “Last time you woke me up wasn’t on your first day opening the shop.”

Calum shrugs, leaving it at that.

Luke sighs softly, only a puff of air really. He lets go of Calum’s waist, slinging an arm around Calum’s shoulder and leaning them up against the back counter, “Nervous?”

Calum tucks his face into Luke’s neck, leaning into Luke’s simple hold and crossing his arms over his chest, “What if this was a mistake? And people stop coming now that it’s not Mr.Green?”

Luke reaches up and puts a hand on Calum’s chest, rubbing the palm against Calum’s beating heart, “They won’t stop coming. It wasn’t a mistake Cal, he wouldn’t have given it to you if he didn’t trust you.”

Calum lets out the breath that’s been trapped in his lungs for what feels like months. Yeah. He can do this. This has been his dream for too long, and now it’s sitting in his hand and he can’t even appreciate it.

As Calum presses a kiss to the underside of Luke’s jaw, the clock above the door sound off. It sounds like a french horn to Calum, or maybe that’s the trumpet? He’ll have to check it later. He lifts his head to meet Luke’s gaze. Luke’s smile gives Calum the last bit of confidence he needs to grab the keys.

Luke gloms onto Calum’s back, draping himself over Calum so that his arms can wrap fully around Calum’s shoulders. Calum wonders what this morning would’ve looked like if Luke hadn’t quit his job in the city to come out here and live with Calum. Calum might still be standing behind the counter watching the keys. He definitely wouldn’t have woken up this morning with a body pressed against his chest and the light sound of a heavy sleeper’s breathing filling his room.

The key fits into the slot in the door easily and Calum opens the store, flicking the switch on the neon ‘open’ sign. It’s not the first time he’s done it, but it’s the first time that the store’s been his.

Calum reaches up to put his hands on top of Luke’s crossed arms over his chest. He turns his head to make eye contact with Luke. Luke is giddy beside him, wide smile as he sends good vibes Calum’s way. Calum leans in to peck him on the lips before he has to fully open the store. Thanks god for public transport.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that was a satisfying ending! If it wasn't, sorry.
> 
> emmybazy.tumblr.com


End file.
